Past Catalogs

Division of Literature and Languages

Majors in the Division of Literature and Languages choose a specific field of concentration, but are encouraged by divisional offerings and requirements not to regard national literatures as the sole criterion for organizing their programs of study.

A student may choose a concentration in Chinese, classical, English, French, German, Russian, or Spanish literature. Besides these majors, the division also offers a general literature major for students with special interests in a particular combination of literature. Students are urged to construct a program that reflects a balance between courses stressing literary history and those emphasizing generic approaches to literature, or the study of a single author or literary theory.

Divisional and general college requirements provide assurance that students will take courses outside their concentration, but in fields related to it. For instance, one such requirement explicitly encourages work in the Division of the Arts. A number of courses within the division bring together works of widely differing national origins, some of which may be taught in translation. Interdisciplinary majors under the supervision of special committees are also available; more information can be found in the catalog section on interdisciplinary majors.

Language LaboratoryThe language laboratory, which coordinates activities with the instructional media center (IMC), is designed to augment language competence at all levels. The lab maintains assignments in Chinese, French, German, Russian, Spanish, and other languages. Twenty computer workstations with headsets and microphones are available for oral and aural language practice. The computer desktops also have shortcuts to alternate keyboard sets, spell checkers and grammar checkers, dictionaries, bookmarked websites, and other pertinent software. Many foreign-language computer functions are available as links on language course web pages and the IMC Language Resources page. The IMC is adjacent to the lab and houses a library of foreign-language films on videocassette and DVD for class or individual use.

The lab is open to students 85 hours per week during the academic year, providing a welcoming atmosphere for language studies.

Senior ThesisThe senior thesis may take the form of a detailed critical or historical essay on a topic drawn from any of the major fields of study embraced by the division, or it may take the form of a creative work. All thesis proposals must be approved by the division; approval of a creative thesis proposal is given only if the candidate shows a developed sense of his or her craft and submits a writing sample that shows promise of creative talent.

Divisional RequirementsOne unit in the Division of the Arts.Two units in a single literature outside of the major. English majors may not satisfy this requirement with courses in which the readings are in translation. Majors in departments other than English may satisfy the requirement with two courses in English literature at the 200 level or higher; two 300-level courses in a second non-English literature, read in the original language; or two units of a single 300-level literature, read in translation. The division strongly recommends that students majoring in a non-English literature choose either the first or second option. Classics majors may satisfy the division requirement with two units of 300-level literature in their second classical language. 300-level literature courses taken in a foreign language before the student has completed two years of the language or has demonstrated equivalent competence may not be used to fulfill this requirement.

Divisional RecommendationsHumanities 210, 220, or 230.Transfer students should take a foreign-language placement test at the time of their first registration.Students who wish to take a course in literary theory may wish to consider Literature 400 or Literature 401. Other courses with a strong emphasis on literary theory include English 333, English 356, English 393, German/Literature 391, German/Literature 392, and Russian/Literature 413.